The Power Within (Friday Devotional)

 

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

- Ephesians 3:20-21

“I didn’t know I had it in me.”

You’ve probably heard that expression before, maybe even used it yourself. It’s the kind of thing you say after riding your first roller coaster, something for when you’ve overcome a big fear. Alternatively, it’s what you say, with equal pride and surprise, after completing a difficult assignment, whether that means DIY-ing a room in your house or giving a speech at a corporate event. You could even say it after doing something familiar, but with better results than ever before, like after beating your personal record in a local 5K.

Whatever the case, you say “I didn’t know I had it in me” because results have demonstrated you have more power within you than you expected. What you thought was possible, it turns out, was too limited. You’re able to accomplish even more than you dreamed you could.

For believers in Jesus Christ, we know the source of our spiritual power—not personal will or some inner reserve of ability, but the Holy Spirit. God has empowered us to do his work in the world, to share the gospel in word and deed so that others will know him and be conformed to the image of his Son.

And if you will be faithful and obedient, God has a way of surprising you. He will send you places you never wanted to go and, by the power of the Spirit, you will flourish. He will give you tasks you never planned to undertake and, by the power of the Spirit, you will ace the test.

When those moments come, don’t lose sight of what’s being revealed. First, remember where the power comes from—you’re not the star of the show, the Lord is, and it’s by his power that you’re doing God’s will. Second, remember that when God is at work, the impossible becomes possible.

On your own, you may not have big expectations for yourself. But don’t forget who you have within you.

The Kids Are Alright (Friday Devotional)

 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

- 1 Timothy 4:12

There is a lot adults don’t understand about the generations who come after them. Why do they talk that way, with slang that defies the rules of grammar and words you won’t find in a printed dictionary? Why do they dress that way, resurrecting fashion trends you thought we’d left behind decades ago? And what are these references they make which are foreign to you, from TikToks to manga to Netflix shows you didn’t know existed? It’s all enough to make your head spin.

With that confusion also comes judgment. Every generation is convinced that the ones behind theirs don’t work hard enough, that they are entitled, that they have their priorities out of whack. Adults, hardened by the world, scoff at the perceived naivete of youth, preaching a cynicism they call realism and mocking idealism as fantasy. Grown-ups claim the children are our future, but are never ready to entrust them with anything we could otherwise control.

Nevertheless, the more time you spend with youth and kids, the more you will be left in awe. You will be crushed by the unrelenting pressure they are facing. You will be amazed by the boundlessness of their energy. You will be warmed by the unabashed fervency of their spirit.

I spent the last week at youth camp with 8 of our church’s students and more than 1,100 others from around the state. Every day we ate bad food, played silly games, sweated through multiple sets of clothes, and slept in cabins that will never be confused with the Hilton. By the end of the week, every adult at Mt. Lebanon was ready to return home to the embraces of our families and the comforts of our homes.

But I suspect that most, like me, walked away from youth camp having learned more than they taught. When you see teenagers spent 3 straight hours in uninterrupted prayer and worship, it’s hard to be cynical about their outlook on life. When you see them praising God with all their being, it makes you wonder what’s holding you back. When you see friends care for each other like brothers and sisters, it fills you with hope.

The next generation won’t do it like we did, or like our parents did. They never do and they never will. But if we’ll give them a chance, passing on God’s Word to them instead of our baggage, they’ll be more than ok. The kids are alright—and if we’ll pay attention, they have a thing or two to teach us.

June Reading Log

I read a LOT of pages this month (1,967 according to my Goodreads account, which doesn't even count the 60 comic books at the end of this log). And good news...I liked most of what I read! Take a look!

THE OLD BALL GAME by Frank Deford

The conventional wisdom goes that baseball seized the national consciousness with the arrival of Babe Ruth, whose skill and swagger captivated the country and solidified the game as the national pastime. But, as longtime Sports Illustrated luminary Frank Deford explains, another New York ballplayer—and his domineering manager—were the ones who first got America's attention.

The Old Ball Game is the story of Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson and manager John McGraw, whose parallel tenures with the New York Giants from 1902-1916 helped move baseball out of its 19th century pioneering days into something that more closely resembled baseball as we know it today. With almost annual trips to the World Series, the Giants owned the decade, and Mathewson and McGraw were the kings of New York.

While the baseball is naturally what catches readers' initial attention, the book shines most when talking about the unexpected friendship between its two protagonists. Mathewson, "the Christian gentleman," was an exemplar of decency, fair play, and excellence, the sort of athlete parents could rightfully point to as a role model for their children. McGraw, "the little Napoleon," was a pugnacious, controlling sparkplug, never afraid to start a fight with an umpire, league president, or opposing manager. Yet the two were not only fast friends, but housemates, splitting rent on a home they and their wives shared. McGraw's confidence in Mathewson extended beyond professional courtesy to something deeper, and vice versa.

Throughout the book, Deford deftly makes the case that Mathewson, McGraw, and their New York Giants teams brought baseball into modernity and into the spotlight, almost instantly transforming the World Series from a novelty into a national obsession. For baseball fans who know Mathewson's stats and McGraw's reputation but don't know much else, The Old Ball Game is chock full of delightful anecdotes and will leave you better informed about an overlooked era in baseball's past. A great read for fans of our national pastime's history.

THE FEDERALIST PAPERS by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison

"Thomas, that was a real nice declaration / Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation." - Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton

That line from the Hamilton song "Cabinet Battle #1" is a pretty good summary of The Federalist Papers, which I read in full for the first time this month in anticipation of the 4th of July. Written between 1787 and 1788 as a series of 85 articles by Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison (as Hamilton fans will tell you, "John Jay got sick after writing 5. James Madison wrote 29. HAMILTON WROTE THE OTHER 51!!!"), these papers are a defense of the U.S. Constitution, which was in the process of being debated and ratified.

The writers discuss a number of specific issues, from taxation to military conscription to the appropriate relationship between the states and the federal government, but the overall theme is that the state of the Union from 1776-1787, in which the states were more of a loose alliance overseen by the Articles of Confederation, is insufficient and that there must be room for federalism. While the young nation was understandably suspicious of a large federal government or a unitary chief executive, The Federalist Papers convincingly argue that the citizens of the United States are best served if those states are united as one nation.

While I had read excerpts of these essays for a political science class in college, this was my first time reading them in their entirety. The writing is both highfalutin and lawyerly (the authors were, after all, 18th century lawyers), but comprehensible after a strong cup of coffee. I doubt I'll ever read this book cover to cover again, but I'm glad I can cross if off my bucket list. For any American wanting to know our nation's most important primary sources, The Federalist Papers is on the short list of documents with which you must be familiar.

PET SEMATARY by Stephen King

What if, practically in your backyard, there was a place capable of raising the dead? But what if that place wasn't a dream come true, but rather, a nightmare?

That's the elevator pitch for Stephen King's 1983 horror classic Pet Sematary. It tells the story of a doctor who, upon moving to a house in Maine with his family, learns that animals buried in the nearby pet cemetery return to life, but in a diminished, seemingly cursed state. Things are creepy but mostly benign when the doctor resurrects the family cat. But what happens when tragedy strikes and he responds by burying a person in the pet cemetery?

This novel has all the hallmarks of a Stephen King novel, from the compelling plot to the relatable characters to the meandering pace to, yes, the disappointing ending. I'd file this one in the good-not-great category; I certainly enjoyed reading it, but it didn't have me on the edge of my seat like The Shining or Misery. Certainly worth a read for King fans, but not the first thing I'd put in the hands of somebody wanting to give him a try.

THE LOST ART OF SCRIPTURE by Karen Armstrong

What is holy scripture? What does it mean to be a "people of the book?" And why are ancient words passed down through the generations so central to the religions of the world?

These are the questions that Karen Armstrong, a renowned expert on comparative religion, seeks to answer in The Lost Art of Scripture, which looks at the world's major religions through the lens of their sacred texts. Spanning everything from Judaism's Torah and Talmud to Confucianism's Analects to the Holy Bible of Christianity, this is a wide-ranging book that has enough information to leave your head spinning.

Armstrong is an academician, and it shows—while written for a general audience, this book is pretty dry and encyclopedic; it's not something you want to read before bed unless you're using it as cheap Melatonin. And she does occasionally fall into the trap of reductionism when comparing different religions' texts, baptizing humanistic virtues and hinting that all religion can essentially be boiled down to the Golden Rule.

Nevertheless, this is a good primer for those wanting to know more about other faiths' holy texts, a solid reference work that shows how important scripture is to all faiths. A worthy read for those wanting a broader understanding of what other faiths believe and why they believe it.

Y: THE LAST MAN VOL. 1-5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Suddenly and without warning, every male on the face of the earth drops dead, all except for a young escape artist and his pet monkey. What happens next, and why did they survive?

That's the premise of Y: The Last Man, Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra's 60-issue Vertigo series Vertigo which ran from 2002-2008. The series remains Vaughan's best-known and most beloved work, mixing elements of sci-fi, espionage, social commentary, and action-adventure to tell a story full of twists, humor, and heart.

Following the mass "gendercide," protagonist Yorrick Brown quickly teams up with 355, a secret agent for the fictional Culper Ring, and scientist Alison Mann (pun very much intended, as revealed in the series' penultimate arc.) As they go on a series of globetrotting adventures trying to keep Yorrick alive while also figuring out what makes him special, they encounter any number of friends and threats, from an Israeli commando to a Russian cosmonaut to Australian pirates.

Eventually, they learn the secret to Yorrick's survival and the story reaches its conclusion, but this series is a classic case of "it's about the ride, not the destination." Indeed, the ending falls a little flat, something that cannot be said of its buildup. Like any good comic, Y: The Last Man is about keeping you entertained for 20 pages and then leaving you wanting the next issue, and it excels at that.

While this is usually considered Vaughan's opus, I think overall I actually preferred Ex Machina, which I felt was more consistent throughout and stuck the landing better. Nevertheless, Y: The Last Man is a lot of fun and a great dystopian tale. Definitely a great comic to put in the hands of somebody who wants to try the medium but isn't into superheroes.

Looking for God (Friday Devotional)

 

Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.

- Jeremiah 23:23-24

Last Sunday, my kids sat down to watch a movie in the playroom while I took my customary Sunday afternoon siesta on the couch. When I woke up, they were still happily enjoying the film, so I moved into my bedroom to work on the computer for a few minutes.

Midway through an email, I suddenly heard Katherine tearfully and frantically calling for me. Not finding me where she’d expected I’d be (the living room couch), she started rushing from room to room searching for me. When she found me in my bedroom, she jumped into my lap for comfort—something in the movie had scared her.

But after a second, fear turned to indignation. “Where were you?” she asked. “I went looking for you and couldn’t find you!”

“I didn’t leave, sweet pea,” I replied. “It just took you a second to find me.”

It occurs to me that there are times when our attitude toward God is a lot like my 4-year-old daughter’s—we don’t immediately see him the moment we decide we need him, so we fear he’s left us entirely. Yet the Lord’s nature is to be near his people, so much so that he became flesh and lived among us. Our God is not some distant sky father; he is the one who tabernacles among us.

When you’re scared, it’s natural and appropriate to look to the Lord for comfort. But, especially if it’s the first time you’ve engaged him for a while, don’t panic if you don’t find him right away. God hasn’t forsaken you—you might just be looking in the wrong places.

Pulling Down the Stars (Friday Devotional)

 

Ever since the creation of the world God’s eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been seen and understood through the things God has made.

- Romans 1:20

In the days of the French Revolution, when anti-Christian sentiment was strong in that country, a Christian saw a man destroying an object of devotion in a church. When he asked what he was doing, the man responded he was destroying anything that reminded people of God.

“You can try,” said the Christian. “But you cannot pull down the stars.”

Our world is full of the evidence of “God’s eternal power and divine nature,” as the apostle Paul said. From the stars in the sky to the air we breathe, creation testifies to the goodness and mercy of the Lord. As the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning put it, “Earth's crammed with heaven / And every common bush afire with God.”

But as wondrous as the natural world is and as powerful a witness as it is to its Creator, it must not be the only evangelist. God has called believers to take the gospel to our families, our communities, and to the ends of the earth, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ so that people can be saved. Nature can begin the conversation about faith, but we can’t make it do all the work.

So may you be part of the witness of creation this week—just as the stars testify to God’s greatness, may your life do the same. Let your life be the kind of reminder that no one can tear down.

Nonstop (Friday Devotional)

 

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”

- Psalm 46:10

It’s been a busy week at SGBC! Vacation Bible School is always chock full of activity—crafts being made, games being played, songs being sung—all in the name of teaching kids God’s Word in a way that will stick in their memories and resonate in their hearts.

Some of what happens during VBS week is visible to everyone. If you’ve driven by the church this week, you’ve seen me running around with the kids during recreation time. If you’ve walked the halls, you’ve heard the songs playing full blast in the sanctuary and the kids shout-singing to try and match the volume.

And there’s plenty that’s gone on behind the scenes too, all in the name of giving these kids the best experience possible. There have been frantic trips to Walmart to buy extra supplies. There have been hours spent in the kitchen before and after dinner cooking and cleaning. And even when the lights are turned off and the doors locked, there have been hours of debriefing and composing emails and texting parents.

The activity never seems to stop during VBS week; we’re always going, going, going. And everyday life can be the same way—between your work and your family and your bills and all the rest, it can seem like you never get an opportunity to take a breath.

But every night this week at the end of our opening rally—after half an hour of music and shouting and silliness—we always took a minute to stop and pray. The colorful decorations were blocked out by our closed eyes, the only noise was the hum of the air conditioner, and the only movement was the fidgeting of the energetic preschoolers. For just a minute, we stopped our well-meaning activity and gave our full attention to God’s presence.

In our overly stimulated world, where we always need to be doing something or watching something or listening to something, there’s some universal truth to the wisdom of the psalmist—maybe today, more than ever, we need to slow down for the sake of our souls. So let me encourage you to do just that today—stop, close your eyes, bow your head, and pray. You have all day to engage in activity—take a moment to be still and know that He is God.

The Vegemite Principle (Friday Devotional)

 

I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

- Ephesians 3:18-19

Have you ever tried Vegemite? The Australian food spread made from brewer’s yeast extract, vegetables, and spices is beloved in its home country, but viewed with a mixture of skepticism and revulsion elsewhere. If you have ever tried it, it was likely as a novelty or even on a dare.

But if you haven’t tried Vegemite, I can’t really explain it to you. I could describe its appearance and texture—black and gooey—but that wouldn’t tell you much. I could compare it to other spreads like peanut butter, Nutella, or marmalade, but that wouldn’t get us very far either. Words fail to convey what only taste can get you to understand. The philosopher David Lewis has referred to this as “the Vegemite Principle”: some things are truly comprehensible only through direct, personal experience.

In the verses above, Paul prays that his readers would comprehend the fullness of Christ’s love, even as he states that such love surpasses knowledge. You can study the Bible for hours on end, memorizing verse after verse, and still miss it. You can learn from the wisest teachers and preachers and still not get it. Trying to learn the love of Christ as an exclusively intellectual exercise is a fool’s errand.

In truth, you learn about the love of the Lord by experiencing it for yourself, by placing your faith in the grace God showed by sending his Son to die on the cross for our sins. You start to understand that love when you see it at work in the world, when you see all the ways the Holy Spirit moves through God’s people to do his will. And you come to comprehend Jesus’ love by applying it to your own life, by imitating him with a life of compassion, holiness, and selflessness.

Trying to intellectually understand God’s love is impossible—you’ll never fully wrap your mind around its breadth and length and height and depth. Similarly, not even the most eloquent orator or brilliant writer could find the words to describe the fullness of his mercy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t know God’s love. You just have to experience it for yourself.